New SA Health data shows 47 Central Adelaide Local Health Network staff members have been reassigned to duties where they will not have contact with patients with COVID-19.
Key points:
- SA hospital workers must have had at least one COVID-19 vaccine by November 1
- Some staff have already been directed away from potential COVID-19 exposure
- Regional health networks have lower coverage rates
From November 1, all healthcare workers at private and public hospitals in South Australia will need to have had at least dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and show evidence of a booking to get their second shot.
In the Central Adelaide Local Health Network, which includes the Royal Adelaide and Queen Elizabeth hospitals, 87 per cent of workers have had their first dose.
At the Women’s and Children Hospital, 77 per cent have had their first dose, while 12 staff have been moved to other departments.
Only 66 per cent of staff in the Eyre and Far North Local Health Network have had their first dose and just 57 per cent are fully vaccinated.
Local Health Network | Dose 1 (per cent) | Dose 2 (per cent) | Number of staff reassigned to a non-COVID-19 patient pathway |
|---|---|---|---|
Central Adelaide | 87 | 80 | 47 |
Northern Adelaide | 71 | 65 | |
Southern Adelaide | 89 | 85 | |
Women’s and Children’s | 82 | 77 | 12 |
Barossa Hills Fleurieu | 86 | 65 | |
Flinders and Upper North | 80 | 73 | |
Limestone Coast | 88 | 82 | |
Yorke and Northern | 87 | 75 | |
Riverland Mallee Coorong | 80 | 63 | |
Eyre and Far North | 66 | 57 |
Opposition Leader Peter Malinauskas said the figures were concerning.
He said Premier Steven Marshall had originally said he did not support the mandatory vaccines.
“Yet I think about 40 hours later, [Police Commissioner] Grant Stevens was out there issuing an order that there would be mandatory vaccination for people working in our hospital system, and that sort of inconsistent messaging undermines people’s confidence in the process,” Mr Malinauskas said.
Supplied
)Health Minister Stephen Wade said he expected introducing a mandatory vaccine requirement would help boost rates, as it did in aged care sector.
“There were areas where there was hesitancy,” he said.
“We worked with our staff, we informed them — what you see in both government services and non-government services is a vaccination rate more than 99 per cent in aged care.
“I’ve got no doubt the same thing will happen with health.”
Mr Wade today announced mobile COVID-19 vaccination vans would be rolled out across South Australia.
The fleet of 10 former ambulances will have the capacity to administer between 100 to 200 doses a day.
The program will also target culturally diverse communities and people from low socio-economic backgrounds.
Space to play or pause, M to mute, left and right arrows to seek, up and down arrows for volume.
Loading form…
